TIME MACHINE: ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIĆ IN ROMA v AC MILAN

Matchday 3 of Serie A 2023/24 is upon is and the fixture list yields a big clash early in the campaign. The Rossoneri's second away day of the season is to Roma for a fixture full of tradition, history and top players. Ahead of the next chapter in the rivalry, in which new figures will be on show, let's go back in time to another fixture against the Giallorossi in the capital. It was 2011/12 and a game the fans will forever associate with Zlatan Ibrahimović. 

Zlatan Ibrahimović was in the second season of his first spell at AC Milan. This was the stage of the Swedish great's long love affair with the Rossoneri shirt over two stints. After finishing his first season as Champion of Italy, having scored 21 goals in the Rossoneri's 2010/11 Scudetto-winning campaign, which was wrapped up at the Olimpico, Ibra was showing no signs of stopping. Allegri's side had got their title defence off to a good start with two wins and as many goals for the Swede. They then won 4-3 away at Lecce and hammered Parma 4-1 at home before heading into Roma v AC Milan, the tie of the round on matchday 10. Zlatan got back on the scoresheet against the Gialloblù after a brief period out through injury.

Ibra was back in the side and decisive again. He opened the scoring with little over a quarter of an hour played; Aquilani swung in the cross and Ibra produced a powerful header to make it 1-0. The game lit up before the half-hour mark. The Giallorossi pulled themselves level through Burdisso before Nesta restored the Rossoneri's lead, both of them turning home from a set piece. The game hung in the balance as the Rossoneri pushed for a third. And then, Zlatan. Aquilani again with the assist as Ibra headed home in the 78th minute, sending the away supporters into raptures. A late goal from Osvaldo was just a consolation for the hosts and AC Milan came away from the Olimpico with a 3-2 win. Ibracadabra was the spell and Zlatan was the magician, and he wouldn't slow down that season either, ending 2011/12 with 35 goals and 12 assists in 44 appearances.

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